is something for which a game is played by the Fates
every day, and which he must be ready to forfeit at any moment.

'The question is, what are we to do?' Hamilton asked sharply.

'Well, these fellows are sure to know that his Excellency leaves
to-morrow, and so the attempt will be made to-night.'

'Suppose we rouse up Sir Rupert--indeed, he is probably not in bed
yet--and send for the local police, and have these ruffians arrested? We
could arrest them ourselves without waiting for the police.'

Sarrasin thought for a little. 'Wouldn't do,' he said. 'We have no
evidence at all against them, except a telegram from an American unknown
to anyone here, and who might be mistaken. Besides, I fancy that if they
are very desperate they have got accomplices who will take good care
that the work is carried out somehow. You see, what they have set their
hearts on is to prevent the Dictator from getting back to Gloria, and
that so simplifies their business for them. I have no doubt that there
is someone hanging about who would manage to do the trick if these two
fellows were put under arrest--all the easier because of the uproar
caused by their arrest. No, we must give the fellows rope enough. We
must let them show what their little game is, and then come down upon
them. After all, _we_ are all right, don't you see?'

Hamilton did not quite see, but he was beginning already to be taken a
good deal with the cool and calculating ways of the stout old Paladin,
for whom life could not possibly devise a new form of danger.

'I fancy you are right,' Hamilton said after a moment of silence.

'Yes, I think I am right,' Sarrasin answered confidently. 'You see, we
have the pull on them, for if their game is simple, ours is simple too.
They want Ericson to die--we mean to keep him alive. You and I don't
care two straws what becomes of our own lives in the row.'

'Not I, by Jove!' Hamilton exclaimed fervently.

'All right; then you see how easy it all is. Well, do you think we ought
to wake up the Dictator? It seems unfair to rattle him up on mere
speculation, but the business _is_ serious.'

'Serious?--yes, I should think it was! Life or death--more than that,
the ruin or the failure of a real cause!'

Hamilton knew that the Dictator had by nature a splendid gift of sleep,
which had stood him in good stead during many an adventure and many a
crisis. But it was qualified by a peculiarity which had to be recognised
and taken into